A Cincinnati man has recently pled guilty to aggravated vehicular assault in exchange for a plea deal that only gave him one-fourth of the maximum sentence of 16 years in prison. While this deal doesn't seem particularly out of the ordinary, the person who spoke on behalf of the suspect to the judge who recently sentenced him is. A Cincinnati police officer who was injured in a car crash the man allegedly caused, leading to the vehicular assault charge, requested the judge not sentence the man to the full 16-year prison term.

The man recently admitted that he had been driving on a suspended license in August 2011 when his car drifted into oncoming traffic. The man had been travelling east on Columbia Parkway when he seems to have crossed the center line and collided with the side of the police officer's Chevrolet Malibu. The Malibu apparently was pushed into another car before ending up on the concrete median.

It is unclear what caused the 35-year-old man's car to veer into oncoming traffic. Despite the accident and his injuries, the police officer recently appeared in court to ask the judge to grant the 35-year-old some leniency. In addition to the officer who was injured, other police officers arrived for the man's sentencing and supported the injured officer's decision to plead for leniency.

While this man chose to plead guilty to his criminal charge, this decision is not for everyone. Anyone charged or suspected of a vehicular crime should immediately seek out an experienced criminal defense attorney before making any statements to police. Even if you ultimately decide to enter a plea, it should only be done after consulting with an attorney. Many suspects cannot grasp the full consequences of a plea, but an attorney can help to provide a realistic understanding of what impact a plea could have.

Source: The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Injured cop: Be lenient to driver who nearly killed me," Kimball Perry, Jan. 12, 2012